Kodak films direct from Eastman Kodak (was: Kodacolor 100. New)

[mshchem]

I thought Ektapan sounded familiar, so I checked my Kodak Master Darkroom Dataguide (circa 1970) and sure enough found Ektapan 4162, available in sheets, 70mm rolls and 3.5" rolls.

I've got 5x7" Ektapan in my film fridge, I need to try it. I recently got out a Polaroid pack film, exp date of 2002, slapped it in my RZ67II, it still works. Amazing, much lower contrast but the color is good.

 

[mshchem]

If the world thinks this is retro it will sell like hotcakes!

 

[MattKing]

If the world thinks this is retro it will sell like hotcakes!

Except most of the world wouldn't know what a hotcake refers to.....

 

[armadsen]

So the sheet films are still distributed by Alaris and remain TMax, Portra and Tri-X (320) in name?

As of right now, yes. But I don't think that's necessarily likely to stay the case for too much longer.

 

[mshchem]

Except most of the world wouldn't know what a hotcake refers to.....

Doughnuts, for Analogue Andy!

 

[Cholentpot]

Except most of the world wouldn't know what a hotcake refers to.....

and we still use the saying, it doesn't matter.

 

[Lachlan Young]

So the sheet films are still distributed by Alaris and remain TMax, Portra and Tri-X (320) in name?

Perhaps only until the next finishing cycle or box/ label printing operation.

 

[mshchem]

Perhaps only until the next finishing cycle or box/ label printing operation.

This is what occurs to me. I wonder how much those darn boxes cost? Probably the reason that we can still buy 5x7 in 50 sheet boxes. Until they run out of boxes

 

[Lachlan Young]

This is what occurs to me. I wonder how much those darn boxes cost? Probably the reason that we can still buy 5x7 in 50 sheet boxes. Until they run out of boxes

That'll be determined by the cost of the tooling on the die cutting machine, and what the most efficient use of whatever the standard board size it takes is.

 

[mshchem]

That'll be determined by the cost of the tooling on the die cutting machine, and what the most efficient use of whatever the standard board size it takes is.

Yes indeed!

 

[Milpool]

As of right now, yes. But I don't think that's necessarily likely to stay the case for too much longer.

Well, as long as the films are available I guess I don't really care what they're called although it's a bit weird.

 

[loccdor]

We really need somebody to maintain a big spreadsheet of what film names are actually the same film, at this point.

 

[Prest_400]

We really need somebody to maintain a big spreadsheet of what film names are actually the same film, at this point.

I helped out at my community photo club with showing darkroom basics recently, and it was a bit grounding some packaging identification woes from newbies. I would agree that the new EK designs are very consistent (maybe even too much), rather well designed (retro modern even?) and they have the good old K logo! But there is a nice change, paraphrasing a lab, in that EK's 35mm packaging is back to singles for Portra (Ektacolor Pro)
I helped out in some guide slides and realised that there may be 3 designs for these films out there still in the market... The 2000s to recently EK-Alaris, the recent minimal Alaris and EK

But by now, EK seems to have the whole range in roll films. I am curious whether the B&W range will be migrated to ESTAR, but it need not to as this is just a finishing and legal distribution change. Also if anything else might be eventually introduced such as Kodacolor 800 non-pro, TMZ in 120, PX, maybe Ultramax/Kodacolor 400 in 120.
Happy to see Tim Ryugo promoting EK's films, the current Eastman Kodak seems well footed and motivated to make films into the future. By the way, this could be very well a result and plan from the consolidation that was misleadingly reported last year.

 

[mshchem]

I like the Ektacolor name especially. I shot Ektacolor-S. A process C-22 film intended for professional wedding, portrait... anything 1/10 second or shorter exposure (Ektacolor-L was for longer than 1/10 second) .

In the 70's (I went off to college in the fall of '75) this was extraordinary film, processed by Kodak or a professional lab, the prints were stunning.

 

[OrientPoint]

I've got 5x7" Ektapan in my film fridge, I need to try it. I recently got out a Polaroid pack film, exp date of 2002, slapped it in my RZ67II, it still works. Amazing, much lower contrast but the color is good.

I have some Ektapan in 4x5 expired in the late 90s out to 2003. I think 2003 was the last of it. Beautiful film, and it holds up well even 20+ years expired.

 

[villagephotog]

As of right now, yes. But I don't think that's necessarily likely to stay the case for too much longer.

I have a faint hope -- and it's really faint, almost invisible -- that EK will regain distribution rights to their sheet films and fix the pricing on them, or at least the B&W emulsions. I'm thinking of US pricing, since that's where I live and shop.

Under the Alaris regime, Kodak B&W films in 35mm and 120 sizes are roughly the same price as comparable Ilford films (in the US). But in sheet sizes, the Kodak stuff is significantly more expensive than Ilford equivalents. So either Ilford is selling its sheet films for much lower margins than its roll films (almost inconceivable) or Alaris has believed that it can extract a premium for Kodak sheet films (much more likely).

It's enough of a premium that I avoid sheet sizes of some Kodak films that I love to shoot in 120 -- TMAX 400, especially. I've been giving my money to Ilford instead.

If Alaris is price-gouging on sheet films, it's likely a sustainable strategy for the color films, since there are no other real options. But my faint, nigh-on-to-invisible, let us say ghostly hope is that, if EK regains distribution of sheet films, they will realize that price-gouging on the B&W emulsions is costing them market share and more competitive prices would be the cat's pajamas.

Just writing it down sounds crazy. Never mind.

 

[polaromar]

Interesting rumor hit Reddit today, that Alaris is shutting down, as per a supposed insider. The claims are, basically:

*Alaris wanted to keep the Portra and T-Max cash cows for themselves, and demanded an unrealistic price for the trademarks.
*EK attempted to negotiate it down but were rebuffed.
*EK leadership then retaliated by bringing them to market under their own trademarks (Ektapan and Ektacolor Pro ) and undercut Alaris on price.
*Additionally, they are refusing to renew all film supply contracts with Alaris, meaning that Alaris is completely cut out of the film business.
*Alaris' Kodak Moments will soon run out of film to sell, and is now shutting down.

The end result being that supply chains for ex-US and non-film accessories like Funsavers, will be disrupted until EK can get itself online.

No source provided, but I guess we'll see over the coming days if its true or not.

 

[Cholentpot]

Interesting rumor hit Reddit today, that Alaris is shutting down, as per a supposed insider. The claims are, basically:

*Alaris wanted to keep the Portra and T-Max cash cows for themselves, and demanded an unrealistic price for the trademarks.
*EK attempted to negotiate it down but were rebuffed.
*EK leadership then retaliated by bringing them to market under their own trademarks (Ektapan and Ektacolor Pro ) and undercut Alaris on price.
*Additionally, they are refusing to renew all film supply contracts with Alaris, meaning that Alaris is completely cut out of the film business.
*Alaris' Kodak Moments will soon run out of film to sell, and is now shutting down.

The end result being that supply chains for ex-US and non-film accessories like Funsavers, will be disrupted until EK can get itself online.

No source provided, but I guess we'll see over the coming days if its true or not.

I won't shed a tear.

I will ask Eastman Kodak to innovate though. We'd like cheap bulk film for the enthusiasts. Give us a white label Eastman 400 black and white bulk roll that can rival the prices of the stuff out there. Same for color. We're itching to shoot more if Kodak would make it more accessible. Also, bring back sales of MP film to everyone.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Interesting rumor hit Reddit today, that Alaris is shutting down, as per a supposed insider. The claims are, basically:

*Alaris wanted to keep the Portra and T-Max cash cows for themselves, and demanded an unrealistic price for the trademarks.
*EK attempted to negotiate it down but were rebuffed.
*EK leadership then retaliated by bringing them to market under their own trademarks (Ektapan and Ektacolor Pro ) and undercut Alaris on price.
*Additionally, they are refusing to renew all film supply contracts with Alaris, meaning that Alaris is completely cut out of the film business.
*Alaris' Kodak Moments will soon run out of film to sell, and is now shutting down.

The end result being that supply chains for ex-US and non-film accessories like Funsavers, will be disrupted until EK can get itself online.

No source provided, but I guess we'll see over the coming days if its true or not.

Just a rumor without a legal basis. Alaris is EK's exclusive distributor for these still films by a bankruptcy decision made years ago in a US Federal Court. EK has to sell their film through Alaris. It now appears the decision was modified at least in some areas with some emulsions. That could only happen with a contractual agreement between them that modifies the Federal decision. Ek just can;t unilaterally do what they want.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I won't shed a tear.

I will ask Eastman Kodak to innovate though. We'd like cheap bulk film for the enthusiasts. Give us a white label Eastman 400 black and white bulk roll that can rival the prices of the stuff out there. Same for color. We're itching to shoot more if Kodak would make it more accessible. Also, bring back sales of MP film to everyone.

What's MP film?

 

[Cholentpot]

What's MP film?

Motion Picture.

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

Will T-MAX developer be renamed as Ektapan developer?